Acts 17 28

Acts 17:28 kjv

For in him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said, For we are also his offspring.

Acts 17:28 nkjv

for in Him we live and move and have our being, as also some of your own poets have said, 'For we are also His offspring.'

Acts 17:28 niv

'For in him we live and move and have our being.' As some of your own poets have said, 'We are his offspring.'

Acts 17:28 esv

for "'In him we live and move and have our being'; as even some of your own poets have said, "'For we are indeed his offspring.'

Acts 17:28 nlt

For in him we live and move and exist. As some of your own poets have said, 'We are his offspring.'

Acts 17 verses

Acts 17 28 Meaning

Acts 17:28 profoundly states humanity's absolute and continuous dependence on God for every aspect of existence. Our very being, ability to act, and continued life originate from and are sustained by Him. Paul uses this truth, which resonated with even the Athenians' own philosophical understanding, to reveal humanity's universal connection to the one true God as His created offspring, paving the way for the revelation of Christ and the call to repentance.

Acts 17 28 Context

Acts chapter 17 depicts Paul's ministry journey, moving from Thessalonica and Berea to Athens. In Athens, Paul encountered a city steeped in idolatry, filled with shrines and philosophical discourse. Disturbed by the prevalent worship of idols, Paul engaged with Jews, devout Greeks, and especially Epicurean and Stoic philosophers in the synagogue and marketplace. He was invited to speak at the Areopagus, or Mars Hill, a significant judicial and philosophical gathering place.

Paul's sermon at the Areopagus is a masterclass in apologetics. He starts by acknowledging their religious devotion (their altar to an "unknown god"), which he then leverages to introduce the one true God. Instead of directly rebuking their idolatry, he strategically begins with a truth their own thinkers affirmed: a transcendent yet immanent God. He presents God as the Creator of the world, self-sufficient, and not confined to temples or in need of human service (vv. 24-25). This directly challenges the local practices of temple worship and offering. He further asserts God's sovereignty over nations and human existence (vv. 26-27), before arriving at verse 28, where he uses quotes from their own poets to connect their understanding of a pervasive divine presence to the biblical truth that all humanity are God's offspring, implicitly laying the groundwork for accountability to this Creator and the subsequent call to repentance through Christ. The verse sets the stage for the climactic announcement of Jesus' resurrection and God's appointed day of judgment.

Acts 17 28 Word analysis

• For in him (γὰρ ἐν αὐτῷ - gar en autō):
  • gar (for): Connects this statement to the preceding explanation of God's nature and actions, providing a reason or elaboration.
  • en autō (in him): Signifies the sphere, source, or ultimate ground of existence. It indicates utter dependence on God, not merely presence near Him, but an immersive reality within His sustaining power. This is a profound statement of immanence and dependence, akin to Col 1:16-17, where all things were created in Christ and in Him all things hold together. It's a statement against Epicurean views of an aloof god.
• we live (ζῶμεν - zōmen):
  • zōmen: First person plural, present tense of zaō (to live). Refers to the physical, biological, ongoing act of life itself. It highlights the basic breath and animating principle provided by God moment-by-moment (e.g., Job 12:10, Isa 42:5). Without Him, there is no physical life.
• and move (καὶ κινούμεθα - kai kinoumetha):
  • kai: (and) connective.
  • kinoumetha: First person plural, present tense, passive voice of kineō (to move, stir). Refers to activity, motion, and the ability to act. This encompasses not just physical locomotion but all human function and capability. The passive voice ("we are moved/caused to move") emphasizes that even our actions and endeavors are ultimately empowered and permitted by God. This challenges Stoic notions of predetermined fate, pointing to a personal, sustaining God.
• and have our being (καὶ ἐσμέν - kai esmen):
  • kai: (and) connective.
  • esmen: First person plural, present tense of eimi (to be, exist). Refers to essence, fundamental existence, our very state of being. This goes beyond life and movement to encompass the very fact that we are. It's about our ontological reality. This trio ("live, move, and have our being") encapsulates the entire spectrum of human existence – physical animation, functional activity, and fundamental identity, all sourced in God.
• as even some of your own poets have said, (ὡς καί τινες τῶν καθ’ ὑμᾶς ποιητῶν εἰρήκασιν - hōs kai tines tōn kath’ hymas poiētōn eirēkasin):
  • Paul uses a common apologetic method, finding common ground with his audience. He quotes from pagan Greek sources: likely Epimenides of Crete ("in him we live and move and have our being" or similar concepts from Minos) and Aratus of Cilicia's Phaenomena ("For we are indeed his offspring").
  • This demonstrates Paul's extensive learning and cultural awareness. He meets the Athenians on their own terms, appealing to truths they already vaguely recognized, showing God's general revelation even outside the covenant people. It's a polemic against exclusivity or arrogance, pointing to God's universal reach.
• ‘For we are indeed his offspring.’ (Τοῦ γὰρ καὶ γένος ἐσμέν - Tou gar kai genos esmen):
  • gar (for): Causal conjunction, giving the reason for the preceding statement (living, moving, having being in Him).
  • kai (indeed/also): Emphasizes the truth of being His offspring.
  • genos (γένος): Meaning offspring, progeny, race, family, kind. This is a crucial theological point. By divine creation (Gen 1:26-27; 5:1), all humanity descends from Adam, who is called "the son of God" (Lk 3:38). Thus, humanity in general can be termed God's offspring by creation, establishing a Creator-creature relationship for all people, which transcends ethnic or religious boundaries. This provides the universal basis for God's call to repentance for all people. It directly opposes any notion that humanity came into being through chance or independently of a divine creator.

Words-group analysis:

• "For in him we live and move and have our being": This comprehensive phrase conveys God's absolute sovereignty over and continuous involvement in every facet of human existence: physical vitality, active function, and essential reality. It portrays God not as a distant clockmaker but as the immanent sustainer of all things.
• "as even some of your own poets have said, ‘For we are indeed his offspring.’": This grouping showcases Paul's rhetorical genius. By validating a part of their wisdom (affirming general revelation), he builds trust and prepares them to hear the specific, transformative truth of special revelation: the gospel. The connection from 'living and moving and being in Him' to 'being His offspring' ties human dependence to divine origin, creating a logical flow from observation to profound theological truth, emphasizing that the unknown god they dimly perceived is the very personal, sustaining God of the Bible.

Acts 17 28 Bonus section

• Philosophical Resonance: Paul's language in "live and move and have our being" could resonate with Neoplatonic concepts prevalent in the philosophical climate of Athens, yet he recontextualizes it within a monotheistic framework focused on the biblical God, challenging the impersonal or fragmented divine of their systems.
• The Poets' Identities: The exact quotations are commonly attributed to Epimenides (for the first part or similar sentiments from his Cretica) and Aratus (for "we are indeed his offspring" from Phaenomena). Paul's accurate and respectful use of these non-canonical sources showcases God's general revelation to all humanity, providing a point of contact for the gospel.
• Theological Implication for Missions: This verse provides a powerful example for contextualized evangelism, starting with what an audience understands or partially knows, and then leading them to the deeper biblical truth. It affirms a common ground for humanity's relationship with God by creation, making the gospel relevant to all. It highlights God's ongoing personal engagement with all life.

Acts 17 28 Commentary

Acts 17:28 distills profound theological truths into concise expressions. It asserts God's omnipresence and continuous upholding of creation. Humanity is not an independent entity, but utterly reliant on the Creator for every breath and every action. This dependence is a perpetual reality, highlighting God's dynamic relationship with His creation, rather than a one-time act of formation. Paul masterfully transitions from this universal truth, acknowledged even by pagan poets like Epimenides and Aratus, to the core Christian message. The recognition that "we are indeed his offspring" establishes a fundamental, pre-existing relationship between God and all humanity as Creator to creature. This means all people, regardless of their cultural or religious background, are accountable to this God, challenging human self-sufficiency and laying the groundwork for the command to repent (Acts 17:30-31) and embrace salvation through Christ, the true image of this very God. It undercuts any basis for polytheism, human pride, or a detached view of God.